The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-08-21
Horse Dealers.

By common repute, we suppose that the
most maligned and suspected character per-
mitted to remain out Of jail Is the horse
dealer. Minor history shows that this repu-
tation has not altered for many ages. Nine
ty-nine men out OF hundred will suspect
nine horse dealers out Of ten. and probably
nine men out OF ten suspect all horse dealers.
They are generally represented to be always
dishonest, always scheminy, usually advan-
tageously to themselves, and in the judg-
ment Of many who have owned horses an
unsound horse never was sold but that the
seller knew Of 1t. and had therefore swindled
the unfortunate purchaser.
An interesting case recently tried In Eng
land, though, embodies a dispute between
two horse dealers, and the points disputed
are the same as have often been subject Of
controversy when one Of the parties to the
bargain has been an amateur.
1t appears that Mr.. TUNALLEY went last
winter to Mr.. BENTON. another dealer, to buy
astallion named Reliance. When Mr.. TUN-
ALLEY attempted to look into the horses
mouth Mr.. BENTON said: Look for moth
ing; will sell him sound and perfectly
quiet" And this Mr.. TUNALLEY took as a
warranty Of soundness. Having paid for the
horse, he discovered the next day that he
INDUCED in crib biting. q vice, but not an I'M
soundness. Then Mr.. TUNALLEY sued Mr..
BENTON. and then came in some expert tes-
tlmony. veterinary, Mr.. AUaUR, being
called in, said that the horse not only was
crib bitter, but that he had bone SPAWN on
the near hough. Another veterinary Mr..
SANITY, said that the SPAWN was Of very long
standing. MIR. BENTON refused to take back
tho horse. and Mr.. TUNALLEY. having sold
him for a small sum. sued to recover the
difference.
But Mr.. BENTON had experts. One Of
them, Mr.. BEART veterinary surgeon to
the Prince OF WALES at Sandringham,"
swore that there was no trace Of SPAWN.
Finally Mr.. TUNALLEY brought the horse into
court and told Mr.. BESToS's veterinaries to
look at him. as he now had bone spavin as
clear as possible. Thereupon Mr. BENToN's
veterinaries did look at him, and fatty denied
the existence Of SPAWN in the presence Of the
jury, and that body, having examined the
horse, gave a verdict for the defendant.
From this interesting case persons with
experience in horse dealing can make their
own conclusions. or course 1t dlscredits the
veterinary pTOleSSiOil IL Sucu d CHlIlS 90
bone spawn Is to be a subject OF dispute be-
tween two acknowledged horse doctors, to
what department Of veterinary science can
an amateur apply with any confidence
for assistance against the dreaded mis-
representations OF the horse dealer1
For the benefit OF the horse buyers de-
pressed spirits, we would say that the popular
estimate of the horse-selling profession Is in
not a few instances wrong. To begin with,
We doubt II there is a single large breeding
farm In Kentucky where the defects In any
animal, young or old, offered for sale are
not always pointed out with the most
conscientious minuteness. They would rather
give colt away than sell him under mis-
understanding as to his legs, lungs. or any,
thing that goes to make him up. The breed
ing farm standard OF frankncss Is not con-
fined to Kentucky either. Wherever colts
are produced by Wholesale the principle Is
recognized that honesty is the best policy.
When it comes to dealers, pure and simple
none OF them are simple, and many Of them
are not pure but still many OF them are
straightforward, responsible, square men,
and it is not at all too much to say that the
fellows who would deliberately throw bone
SPAWN into horse trade without notice. by
no means cover the whole list OF merchants
OF that pleasurable or exasperating. but
always expensive article, horsefesh.